


Somewhere in Nowhere

by Ruquas



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fandom Trumps Hate, Gay Bashing, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Name-Calling, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25003594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruquas/pseuds/Ruquas
Summary: Steve got the invitation for his reunion. And it wasn't that he didn't want to go but... he really didn't.Sadly, Tony found the invitation. And then everything just went to hell.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 87
Collections: Fandom Trumps Hate 2019, Fandom Trumps Hate 2020





	Somewhere in Nowhere

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Fandom Trumps Hate.
> 
> Please be aware that in this fic, derogatory language towards gay men is used. There is off screen violence due to homophobia. The law won't do the correct thing.
> 
> Thanks a lot to Bucky Bear for reading this <3

Steve was fidgeting. He knew that he was fidgeting but he couldn’t help it. And he hadn’t even told Tony anything about it. Well, not really. He had dropped the invitation on the table. That counts, right?

Except, it didn’t because Steve forgot it there.

And Tony found it. And now he wanted to know if Steve wanted to go.

He couldn’t go there. He just _couldn't_. 

“It’s just a high school reunion, Steve. Nothing to get your panties in a twist. And if you don’t want to go, then it’s no big deal.”

No big deal, right? But then, he wanted to see some people again. People who he hadn’t had the chance to visit that often since he moved to New York.

“It’s not… I… I’d like to go… but…”, he started, knowing he didn’t made any sense. But his feelings were all over the place and it was just…. Stupid.

Tony’s lips thinned, but he nodded.

“Sure. But not with your boyfriend. Understood.”

“No! I mean… not everyone knows about me and… it’s a really small town, you know?”

Of course Tony knew. Tony had been to that small town to visit Steve’s mother. 

“It’s the twenty-first century, you know?”, Tony countered, still looking incredibly tense.

“Nothing will happen. Besides, half of the country probably already knows who you are dating as we’ve been in the some of the major gossip magazines more often than I care to count.”

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. He was tired. So very, very tired. Finals were taking a toll on him, the students were driving him crazy and now, on top of everything, _that_.

But then, it had been fifteen years already. It shouldn’t be a surprise. And Isaiah had told Steve more than once that a ten year reunion would only happen with Steve, even if Isaiah would have to drag Steve to it. Which he probably would.

On the other hand, Tony hadn't grown up there. He couldn’t know how difficult it had been for Isaiah’s family. Tony couldn’t know… but times had changed, right?

Steve took a deep, shaking breath before he nodded.

“Okay. Let’s go to the reunion.”

He was a pessimist. There was no way it would turn out as bad as he made it up in his mind.

~*~*~*~

It was hell on earth.

It wasn’t even the way the people looked at him that knew him quite well. Most of them knew that he was gay. Or at least assumed it. 

It wasn’t even the way people looked at him when he didn’t really know them. Well, it was a small town, everyone knew him and he knew everyone. But, still.

But the way people looked at him that knew him from high school? Some just curious. Some of them just being confused. Some people just looked plainly disgusted. They didn’t even tried to hide it.

And Steve just wanted to… go. To be somewhere else, to be somewhere that wasn’t _here_. Hell, there had been a reason why he never really had an issue with moving to New York, moving away from everything.

“Your boy is really something… else.” Isaiah said, staring at Tony who explained Erik, the mechanic, what exactly he did wrong and why before the other man had even _touched_ Steve’s wreck of a car (not that Steve would ever admit it. Otherwise he would probably own a new car costing more than what Steve made in a year).

“That’s one way to put it.” Steve answered. Tony didn’t know better. Tony didn’t know Erik, didn’t know that the only reason he wasn’t bothered was because… well, no one bothered Erik. Or people he liked.

But Erik wouldn’t be a problem. Not really. He rather looked amused. Which was even more creepy.

That didn’t mean that Steve didn’t see the looks Barney and Chisholm threw Tony. It didn’t mean that Steve didn’t see the looks that were directed at him, too.

“Wanna save him?” Isaiah asked, pointedly ignoring Chrisholm and Barney and Steve couldn’t help himself and snorted.

“Sure. And wanna risk Lensherr being angry at me? Or worse, his ‘Not-boyfriend-I-am-not-twelve-and-engaged-for-three-years’ giving me this disappointed look? Yeah, thanks. That’s on Tony.”

And if it would’ve stayed this way, everything would’ve been fine.

~*~*~*~

It started out harmless.

Just Tony being Tony, talking with people, making friends with Steve’s old friends. Hell, even with Brock, and Steve wasn’t even sure if they ever were friends or if they just succeeded in not killing each other while still remaining friendly to each other. It was fine. 

Tony was just… Tony. Which also meant he had no problems with touching in public. Kissing. Holding hands.

Which also meant that he didn’t realized that attracted attention until it was way too late.

“What do you think you’re doing here?”

It took Steve a few minutes to recognize John, even though he hadn’t changed much. Still almost as big as Steve, still that nasty leer on his face. The hair got a bit lighter and still, Steve hadn’t really recognized him.

But he recognized Isaac and Theo a few steps behind John. All three of them looked at him as if there was a giant spider on his head. Not like you would look at your former team member.

“Standing here, going to a high school reunion. And you?”

“Not believing they let faqs in here. It’s already disgusting enough that people like you are allowed to do what you want and pester others with it. But do you have to flaunt it here where people still have high morales?”

Steve felt as if someone threw a bucket of ice over him. He had been right. He shouldn’t have been here. _Tony_ shouldn’t be here. God, he wanted to puke. And he wanted to run, but his legs didn’t listen and…

“Showing those people that there’s a difference between high morales and ‘fell down from the nursery table’. So, shoo, go somewhere else.” Tony suddenly said from his side, throwing a challenging look. And every other day, Steve would’ve kissed him for that, but that would just ensure that there would be even more problems and then everything would blow up.

“What, playboy, didn’t know what to do with your big shot company and your money and had to corrupt some good people?” Isaac sneered. Steve realized that Tony answered something, standing up for himself, because it was Tony but… he shouldn’t need to do it alone. And still, Steve couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth, or…

“You see, there are people who aren’t smart and there’s people like you, who think just because someone is different they should be less.”

“Says the pansy who enjoys being a sodomite and sucking cock.”

Steve opened his mouth and closed it again. His head was swimming and he was pretty sure that he was blushing.

“Well, what I do to my ass or other asses is none of your business. Also, maybe you should try to be a bit more creative with your…”

“Ah, Rogers! There you are! Already asked myself if you would show up! Introduce me to your friend!”

Steve didn’t know if he should be relieved about Brock’s booming voice or not. He just knew that he wanted to be swallowed up from the ground.

A steady hand pushed him away from John, pushed him into the direction of his friends. Tony talking, talking a lot to someone. And then the hand was gone.

“I think I can handle it from now on. Thanks.”

“Sure. Whatever you say. Maybe you should just… try and not be as obvious.”

That was Brock. Steve blinked and turned around, but Brock was already walking away again. And then Tony was there, looking concerned and a bit apologetic.

“Hey. You okay? Na, don’t answer that, stupid question. You wanna get out of here?”

Steve just sighed and nodded. 

“Sorry about that.” Isaiah said.

“All three are still living here, still the biggest assholes next to their daddies. Should’ve seen them when it got out that Lensherr proposed. They were fuming, Theo even set their car on fire. He was lucky that he only got a few months. So, try to get a good night’s rest. We’ll see each other tomorrow?”

Steve nodded, not answering, just looking at Tony who looked a bit sad.

Steve hated it. He hated everything about this situation. He hated that he had known from the beginning that something like this would happen. And he hated himself that he hadn’t stood up to Tony and told him ‘no, they wouldn’t go to the reunion. 

Even when they reached Isaiah’s house and the guest room, Steve stayed silent.

“I’m sorry that.. I’m sorry.” Steve murmured finally, after Tony turned off the lights. A small kiss on his cheek, but at the moment it was the world.

“For what? That you know some assholes? Happens. You should go to a meeting with me.”

Steve sighed and gathered Tony in his arms as good as he could, pressing his nose in his boyfriend’s short hair and took a deep breath.

“Seriously, Steve. It’s fine. Really. Had worse.”

Steve didn’t answer. It still took hours for him to fall asleep.

~*~*~*~

When Steve finally stumbled down the stairs into the kitchen, he had been prepared for lots of things.

For Mica, Isaiah’s wife, to splutter around, always late, to get to work in time, hastily shoving down a yoghurt.

For Isaiah to make pancakes.

Maybe for Andrew, Isaiah’s and Mica’s son, to dance on the table again while his parents pretended that they couldn’t see.

He didn’t expect Tony sitting at the kitchen island with a split lip, a swollen eye and a slightly scraped cheek.

He neither expected Lensherr’s partner (Chad? Chuck? Charlie?) to sit in the kitchen while cleaning Tony’s bloodied knuckles, berating him, while Isaiah was on the phone with, sounding very… official.

“... action, I can’t believe there’s someone who is actually as much into confrontation as Erik is. And I already thought…”

“Tony?”

The way Tony jumped could’ve been funny if it wouldn’t have been for the fact that his boyfriend sat on a kitchen island and looked as if someone used him as a punching bag.

“Hey, soldier. How did you sleep?”

Steve blinked and then closed his eyes for a short second before he opened them again, unbelieving what he just had heard.

“If I… are you fucking kidding me? What the hell happened?”

Tony winced.

“Well, look at that. Getting out the nasty words. Well, for example, I met Charles here. Nice guy, he knows Aunt Peggy! Such a small world, isn’t it?”

“I meant why the hell are you bleeding?” Steve yelled, ignoring the wincing from Tony and the shushing sound from Isaiah. Only Charles (Steve hoped he could remember the name this time) just looked unimpressed.

“Ah. Yes. That. Nothing. No need to worry.”

“He went out for bagels and ran into John and his just as stupid friends.” Isaiah said from behind Steve, mouth set into a thin line.

“I just talked to Janice. They’re going to need a statement later today. I need to go to work now. Need a ride, Charles?”

The man in question just raised an eyebrow, looking at Steve as if he would get an answer to the question from him. Steve really hoped that he said yes, because he wanted to yell at Tony. Or hug him. Or maybe just have a breakdown. It didn’t matter, because he just wanted to be alone.

“That would be nice of you. I just need to go home, nothing to do except grading papers.”

Tony didn’t look at him until the door finally fell close.

“Don’t yell, okay? I’m already having enough of a headache.”

Steve started to shake.

“Are you… are you okay? I mean, what… how…?”

Tony shrugged and stood up. An ugly handprint was already turning blue and purple around his forearm.

“I’ve had worse. Seriously, I knew people like that existed, but seeing it first hand? No wonder you moved away. Hell, I don’t know how Charles and his… whatever… this Erik guy are surviving it without murdering anyone.”

“Erik almost killed someone. He has… had anger issues.” Steve said, toneless. Tony chuckled and sighed.

“Yeah. Legit. Listen, I’m sorry that I pressured you to come here. I should’ve listened to you because you know this bumb fuck town better than I do. It’s just… Hell, New York is a completely different world. Even _Howard_ was a completely different world.”

Steve just nodded, getting colder by the minute.

He had done that to Tony. Maybe not directly but he had done that to Tony.

“So, I’m sorry. And aghast to be honest and I would love to sue their asses to the moon, but… Steve? Steve!”

Steve looked up realizing he was sitting. When had he sat down?

“You are shaking. God, Steve, what’s going on?”

“You are hurt.” Steve whispers and flinched when he saw the bruised knuckles. “You are hurt and it’s my fault and now you have to go to talk to Janice, and Janice hates men overall and they won’t land in prison because here you are just not gay. And if you are and then dare to say it out loud, well… no one here is gay… I should’ve just burned the invitation.”

Tony slung an arm around Steve.

“No, you shouldn’t. I should’ve just listened to you. I should’ve just… I don’t know, actually. I’m not one for hiding. But I could’ve been less… me. Or, well, you know what I mean.”

Steve nodded, still shivering, still not knowing what to do. He felt helpless. Almost as helpless as he felt when his mother just yelled at him to get his head out of his ass and stop worrying about her.

“I love you.” Tony whispers. “And that won’t change just because you grew up in a small town with homophobic assholes. Quite the opposite, actually. This town made you what you are. The good things, the bad things. I’m not sorry that it exists. I’m just sorry that you had to grow up like that. I’m just sorry that anyone has to grow up like this. I don’t know if I could’ve done it.”

“You grew up with your father.”

Tony laughed and god, it was the best thing Steve heard in his entire life.

“Yes, but that didn’t turn out as a good thing because that man shouldn’t have been a father. I never got a glass thrown at me because I’m gay. I think the old man is pretty happy that our cursed genes are dying out. Not that he would ever say that. But… well. He is.”

Steve sighed and laid his head on Tony’s. 

"Does this Janine really hate men?"

Steve snorted.

"Janice. And yes, she does. Maybe we are lucky and she hasn’t made Sheriff yet. But then, she never really wanted to be the Sheriff. Too much paperwork."

Tony just made a sound in the back of his throat.

“This city… town.. is really something.” Tony murmured and sighed.

“I’m sorry.” Steve burst out.

“Hu?”

“I mean, if it wouldn’t have been for this stupid invitation… I don’t know. I just blame myself a bit.”

“Of course. I forgot that you can just evaporate homophobic assholes with a look. Seriously, don’t sweat it.” Tony answered and stood up.

“Come on, now. I’m not sure if I can find the sheriff’s office on my own. Let’s get out of this fucking town as fast as possible.”

Steve stood up but didn’t comment on how Tony seemed to walk a bit different. Carried himself a bit different. And Steve was the reason for that. But at least Tony wasn’t mad at him and it was Tony - as soon as they were home, he would be his old self again.

~*~*~*~

Steve had been prepared for a lot of things he would find at the office. John and his friends spewing more filth at him. John’s father threatening with suing everyone (and Steve would really like to see that happening against _Tony Stark_.

He absolutely didn’t expect _Brock Rumlow_ sitting at the Sheriff’s desk. 

The smug grin on the other hand proved that it was really Brock and not just some hallucination.

“Mister Stark. Thanks for coming here that fast. Janice will be with you shortly. Rogers, with me, got a few questions for you, too. Expected if you wanna switch, fine by me.”

Steve loved Tony. He really did. But he absolutely didn’t want to be in the same room as Janice again. History class during high school had been long enough.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Working.”

And yeah, definitely the same Rumlow. Steve already wanted to hit him.

“It was either military or the old man’s footsteps. Military led to being Sheriff. So…” Brock shrugged and Steve understood. Brock’s father was probably still in prison. Or again. Not somewhere Brock wanted to be.

“Okay. Uhm… I actually never was questioned by the police… so…”

“It’s easy. I’m gonna ask some questions and you answer them. They’re easy and there’s no right or wrong. It will be recorded. But before we start - I know that John and Theo were at fault. They bragged about it when we brought them in, how they beat up the fairy and I know they wouldn’t dare to touch Lensherr, even less his guy. And you seem pretty unharmed. But you also know how it works here. Maybe a few months, if you both are lucky. And I really like my job here, so even though I absolutely don’t care what you and that guy do, I care enough about not getting my ass handed to me by John’s father and lose everything. So I’m not gonna go against him. Like I said, a few months, probably for Theo, and a slap to the wrist for John. And a closer look for their drunken shenanigans. But that’s the most I can do and probably the most Janice wants to do, too.”

Steve nodded and sighed. Yes, he knew how this town worked. He couldn’t even fault anyone. Not really.

“Yeah. We wanna get out of here as soon as possible, anyway.”

Brock nodded and got a small recorder out of his uniform and put it on the table, then he turned it on.

“Good. Then let’s start. For the record, I need your name and your birth date.”

“Steven Grant Rogers, 4th of July 1986.”

“Thank you. Just a few questions, like I said, to make sure we have all the information. Where were you this morning, the 18th of August 2018?”

Steve wanted to scream. He wanted to yell at Brock. Maybe even flip the table. But then Brock would have to arrest him and that wouldn’t throw a good light on Tony and then Tony would have to suffer even more because of Steve and Steve… well, he didn’t want that. 

“I was at Isaiah Bradley’s house. When I woke up and went downstairs, Tony sat there bruised and bloody, having Erik Lensherr’s fiance tending to the wounds.”

Brock nodded and made a small notice on a block he got from god knows where.

“Okay. Did it appear that Mister Xavier had been bruised, too? Or just Mister Stark?”

“Only Tony… Erm… Mister Stark.”

Brock grinned before nodding.

“Could you describe the mentioned bruises?”

No, no he couldn’t. Well, he could, but he didn’t want to. But then, it wasn’t a matter of want right now, right? God, he felt so much sympathy for everyone who ever had to give a statement because they got assaulted.

“Uhm.. he had bruised knuckles. Mister Xavier did clean them. Then the split lip and a black eye. Tony was limping a bit, but not much. And I don’t know if he’d been limping because he had been hurt or something else. Otherwise… no… I was too shocked to look at every bruise. And then we already needed to come down to the station and… well, here I am?”

Brock made a sound that wasn’t Steve telling him anything.

“Did Mister Stark say who did this?”

“No. Mister Xavier said that Tony ran into John and… sorry, John Umbercombe and Theo Braden.”

“Any interaction between before the assumed interaction today?”

Steve frowned and took a deep breath. If he would hurt the Sheriff on record, nothing was gained. Quite the opposite. But hell, he really wanted to.

“Yesterday, at the reunion. They and Isaac Rice were busy calling us slurs.”

“Good. That would it be. We are gonna contact you, Mister Rogers.”

As soon as Brock turned off the recorder, Steve leaped up and grabbed Brock at the collar, pulling him towards Steve. 

“Listen, you were _there_ , asshole, so what should that ‘assumed’ interaction be in your book? Some kind of…”

“Do I tell you how to do your job?”

The question was asked with a sneer and then Brock pried Steve’s fingers off his collar, reminding him that Brock wasn’t just some guy. Reminding Steve about what Brock had said that the other man had joined the military.

Steve deflated a bit.

“No. It’s just… hard.” Steve finished lamely.

“Yes. Suck it up, Rogers. Life’s that way. Now wait outside and don’t, no matter what, react to anything John, Theo or anyone else throws at you. Understood?”

Steve sighed and nodded. He was just tired.

“Good. Now shush, find your boyfriend, pack your things and I will inform you if you’re needed or if the statements are enough.”

~*~*~*~

“Hey, Soldier.”

Steve couldn’t smile. His head hurt and he was tired and Tony still looked like death warmed over. He just wanted it to be over.

“Come on. That scary police woman told me that our statement would probably be enough, but that we should stay in town just in case.”

Steve snorted, but stood up, feeling sixty years his age.

“Sure.”

He saw Tony hesitating and sighed.

“It’s just… I did hope that you were right, you know that, right?”

“Steve Rogers wanted to be wrong?” Tony asked, but the sarcasm didn’t quite destroy the surprise.

“Yeah. Just like you always say, hopeless optimist. Can we pack our things? Just in case?”

Tony was quiet for a few seconds and then nodded.

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

~*~*~*~

After how Steve acted, Tony wasn’t surprised when the Sheriff came by and informed them that their statement would be enough for court, but that they could attend if they wanted to. And if Tony should want to sue, that they would stay longer.

He also told them that he would help them to get their bags into the car without waiting for an answer.

It wasn’t that Tony _wanted_ to sue. He just wanted to destroy them for taking a bit of joy out of Steve. But that wouldn’t help Steve.

After bidding their goodbye to Isaiah and his family and climbing into the car, the silence was deafening. It stayed like that until they crossed the sign that they were leaving the town.

“Good- _fucking_ -bye.” Steve muttered, staring straight ahead, seemingly ignoring everything else.

“Well, when we marry, we should invite your friends to New York. I’m certainly never going back there again.”

To Steve’s credit he could still drive straight, but now staring at Tony as if he just got a second head.

“You said ‘no’. The last time I asked, you said ‘no’. Now you said ‘when’, not ‘if’.”

Tony smiled and closed his eyes.

“Times are changing, Stevie-Boy. Now, do me a favour and try to get us home before we have to retire due to old age, okay?”

**Author's Note:**

> If you have a request, [just visit my Tumblr and drop me a message](https://ruquas.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Also, at the moment it could take me a bit to respond to comments due to heavy anxiety. I can assure you, I read the comment and will get back to you as soon as I can <3


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